Description: |
The mucosal surfaces of fish - skin, digestive tract and gills - are in constant contact with water, including any pathogens that the water may contain. A new study reveals that fish induce production of a particular antibody in their gills in response to pathogen exposure. In addition, the researchers found that the gills' microbiota is coated with this same antibody, an immunoglobulin called IgT. Prior to this study, it was thought that only mammals had such a refined local mucosal immune response. [Source: University of Pennsylvania]
|
|